Fatal iatrogenic cardiac tamponade due to central venous catheterization

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Valente Aguiar, MS (Author) Other; de Carvalho, ER (Author) Other; Magalhaes, T (Author) Other; Ricardo Jorge Dinis Oliveira (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology

Vol. 18

Pages: 275-279

ISSN: 1547-769X

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00W-RV5

DOI: 10.1007/s12024-022-00491-4

Abstract (EN): Fatal adverse events caused by any health professional as consequence of malpractice are uncommon. In this work, the authors report a fatal cardiac tamponade associated with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) by the right jugular vein that perforated the right atrium of the heart. The diagnosis of cardiac tamponade was not detected in hospital during the intrapericardial infusion of total parenteral nutrition and was only registered during the autopsy. The postmortem examination showed a milky liquid inside the pericardial cavity compatible with the total parenteral nutrition administered. The catheter in its migration in the cardiac chambers, mechanically perforated the inner wall of the endocardium between the trabeculae carneae, continued its course between the myocardial fibers until it was externalized. In conclusion, cardiac tamponade, although it is an extremely rare medical complication, has a high risk of fatality specially if peripheral rather than central veins were cannulated.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5